'So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence' (Gen. 11:8,9),

and instead of being united by a common language, their speech was

confounded, their city called Babel, and the seed sown for all the confusion

and conflict among nations that has since arisen, and which will only be

remedied when Jerusalem is the acknowledged centre, when the nations accept

their appointed relationship with Israel and their land, and when the

prophecy of Zephaniah shall be fulfilled:

'For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all

call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent' (Zeph.

This is the reversal of the state of affairs described in Genesis 11.

An important lesson is here, which if observed will illuminate much that is

said concerning the 'scattering' and the 'gathering' of Israel.  The prophet

Hosea reveals that Israel were to go into a condition named 'Lo -ammi', not

My people (Hos. 1:9), but this was preceded by two causes.  (1) They should

be 'scattered', for such is one of the meanings of the word Jezreel (Hos.

1:4); (2) they should have mercy withholden from them, the meaning of Lo -

ruhamah being 'not compassionated' (Hos. 1:6).  In Hosea 2:23, all this is

blessedly reversed:

'I will sow her unto Me in the earth'

'I will have mercy'

'Thou art My people'

The Hebrew word Jezreel is a homonym, i.e. a word having two related

meanings: (1) Scatter (Jer. 31:10); (2) Sow (Jer. 31:27; Zech. 10:9).  Had

the nations obeyed the Divine mandate, and 'spread abroad' with Israel's land

as their centre, and with one common language to unite them both in worship

and in service, a great step forward would have been accomplished.  This

would have fulfilled one meaning of the word Jezreel, i.e. 'sowing', with a

harvest of peace in view.  This, however, was antagonized by Satan the

'Resister' (Zech. 3:1,2), and the 'sowing' was transformed into a

'scattering' and a confusion, and will not be remedied until He Who scattered

both the nation and the nations, gathers them once again, with Jerusalem in

their midst, but when that blessed event will take place we do not here stay

to consider; it will emerge as we examine the usage of the word 'gather'

which is to follow.

To be scattered, consequently became a sign of a curse (Gen. 49:7).

Leviticus 26 is a series of alternating references to disobedience and its

Lev. 26:14,15

Commandments not obeyed; statutes despised; judgments

abhorred; covenant broken.

Lev. 26:16,17

The consequent punishment.

This alternation occurs five times, and in the last pair, namely in

Leviticus 26:27 -39, we read:

'And I will scatter you among the heathen (or nations), and will draw

out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities

waste' (Lev. 26:33).